And Now His Watch Is Ended

Posted on Oct 24, 2013

The most recent TV show I have become enthralled with is Game of Thrones. The fantasy series entwines several plot lines including a civil war, threats of the imminent winter, and an exiled community planning to reclaim the throne. The show is so popular that in June 2013 Brittan’s The Telegraph dubbed Game of Thrones ‘the most recent big-budget work to have contributed to the popularity of the fantasy genre in mainstream media’.

So…what exactly do dragons and fantasy civilizations have to do with podiatry? Well on the fourth episode of the third season, beyond the wall a character died of a foot infection. For fellow Game of Thrones fans, you may remember this episode as when Daenerys (aka khaleesi, mother of dragons) trades a dragon for an army of slaves, has the dragon kill the previous slave driver, and frees all the slaves. Beyond the wall, at Craster's Keep, the Night’s Watch held a funeral for a fallen brother, who died from a foot infection. Well this seemingly minute part of the episode was actually so significant that the name of the episode, And Now His Watch Is Ended, comes from a prayer/hymn from the Night's Watch at the funeral. This fun fact made me love the show even more than I already did!

As Game of Thrones illustrates, foot infections can indeed be deadly. This likelihood can be increased if you are diabetic, smoke, have poor circulation, have history of ulcerations, or other conditions. Infections in the feet can be especially hard to heal due to their location. The feet are furthest away from your heart, so it takes the more time for much needed blood (and white blood cells) to travel down to your feet to heal the wound. Another reason foot problems are harder to heal is because of evolution- we walk on 2 feet. So your feet constantly receive the pounding of your body’s weight with each step, which can easily burst open recently closed wounds.

It’s important to check your feet everyday and treat a foot problem immediately- so you don’t end up like this poor member of the Night’s Watch! Call 309-661-9975 to schedule an appointment.